This invention relates generally to processing computer tomography (CT) datasets, and more particularly, to determining optimal views of structures such as plaque deposits within vessels.
Cardiovascular related deaths constitute more than 500,000 people annually in the USA, and much more globally. A major portion of the deaths are attributed to coronary artery disease, where the chief culprit is the build up of plaque, such as soft plaque and its ruptures, as well as hard plaque or calcification.
Plaque deposits are analyzed for size, location and composition, for example. Coronary plaque has been classified into six stages according to the Stary scale. According to general consensus, it is crucial to determine the plaque in stages 4 and 5. At this level, the plaque constitutes critical vulnerable plaque and could lead to rupture or dislodging of the plaque, causing blockages and leading to myocardial infarction.
Newer scanning technologies, such as Volume Computed Tomography (VCT) and associated increases in spatial and temporal resolution have made it possible to image a contrasted study of the heart which is gated to mitigate heart motion. Using these images, it is possible to distinguish soft plaque from lumen (the vessel wall) and from calcification. However, the regions of interest (ROIs) within which the plaque deposits are located are small, and determining the desired orientation of the ROI to best view the deposit or other structure of interest within the vessel is time consuming. Also, many plaque deposits may be present, and navigating through the image dataset to review all or the majority of the deposits to identify the most vulnerable may require substantial time and resources.
Therefore, a need exists for automating aspects of locating and displaying deposits within the vessels. Certain embodiments of the present invention are intended to meet these needs and other objectives that will become apparent from the description and drawings set forth below.